


In the Moment

by ClaraHue



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, Post-Season/Series 03, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25167187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaraHue/pseuds/ClaraHue
Summary: In which Robin saves the girl
Relationships: Robin Buckley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 20





	In the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> I was in the mood the other day to watch all of the scoops troop scenes, and after which I was in the mood to write another fic of Robin getting a girlfriend

“So yeah, then I was like-”

Robin could barely make out the conversation Steve was having with the customer. The girl was a local but didn’t go to Hawkins high school. She had long, curly blond hair, which she twirled around her fingers as she giggled along to what Steve was saying.

Robin groaned. It wasn’t fair, all Steve had to do was stand there, and girls immediately swooned. They always acted so stupid too, like this girl, twilling their hair, giggling in a high pitched tone, and swaying back and forth on her feet. God, it made Robin cringe as it reminded her of how she acted in elementary school, back when she thought she was straight.

“Come on, Lucy.” An older man, probably the girl’s dad, called to her from the door of the video store.

The girl, Lucy, waved to Steve, offering him a smile as she walked out the door.

Steve cast a glance over at Robin and was a smug smirk. She rolled her eyes at him. She didn’t want to admit he had actually done fairly well in the flirting department today.

-

“Hey, do you mind if I invite Lucy to our movie night on Friday?” Steve asked.

Robin sighed. They had been going to the theatres every few Fridays to watch a movie for the past few months. It wasn’t the first time Steve had invited a girl along. Robin didn’t know why she had agreed to it the first time, and it had been rather awkward for everyone all around.

“It won’t be like last time I swear.”

Robin glared at him, unsure. “Fine.” She gave in. “I suppose so.”

“Great, thanks.” He smiled wide, and Robin felt like maybe she had made the right decision.

Friday came, and Steve picked Robin up in his car. His date was already in the car with him as Robin got in. Robin recognized her but didn’t remember her name.

“Hey.” Steve smiled at Robin as she slid in.

“Hi, I’m Lucy.” The blond girl stuck out her hand to Robin as she greeted her with a smile.

“Hi.” Robin shook her hand. “Robin.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Robin said, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

She was grateful when they got to the movies and had something else to distract them. The movie was rather good, but Robin hated the way Lucy would laugh at anything Steve said during it. After the movie was over, Steve suggested they get some ice cream. Robin sat across from Lucy in a booth at the ice cream parlour while Steve was still debating what he wanted.

“So did you like the movie?’ Lucy asked, stirring her ice-cream in the bowl around with a spoon.

“Yeah, it was good,” Robin said.

“What was your favourite part?”

Robin was grateful for the question. It was easy for her to fall into conversations about movies, as it was something she was passionate about. When Steve came and sat down with them, Robin found herself warming up to Lucy.

“Where do you go to school?” Robin asked when they began to change topics.

“I’m homeschooled actually,” Lucy told her.

“Really?”

“I know, it’s weird to find a high schooler being homeschooled.”

It was a little weird.

“My mom used to be a teacher, but after she got pregnant with my brother, she quit and started homeschooling him when he was five. I’ve been homeschool since I was little. I don’t really care about going to high school.” She shrugged.

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, right, Steve?”

Steve nodded. “No, it’s really not.”

-

It all started happening suddenly. Robin felt entirely out of the loop again, as the threat lingered closer. She didn’t even know the extent of the impending doom.

“How can I help?” Robin asked as Steve stated loading up his car with any sort of item that could be used as a weapon.

“Just stay here,” Steve said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Stay out of danger. I have to protect the kids, make sure they don’t do anything stupid.” He moved to close the trunk of his car.

“Steve, I want to help.”

“Stay here.” He shouted as he got in his car. “Please Robin.”

“Stay safe Harrington.” She told him, and he nodded before driving off.

Robin watched him go, wondering what she could do.

-

Working at Family Video felt strange with the knowledge that there was a looming oncoming apocalypse. Still, this was her normal now. She had come back from the Starcourt Mall acting like nothing had ever happened, she could do so again. Besides, with Steve MIA, Keith was breathing down her throat.

It was late, and Robin was the only one in the store as she got ready to close up shop for the night. She was about to leave when Lucy came barrelling into the store, breathing heavily, looking terrified.

“Luc, what is it?” Robin asked.

“There was something in the woods!” She panted as she gripped Robin’s shoulder, fear visible on her face.

“What, what did you see!?”

“This, this, this thing…!” Her voice trembled as she spoke, her body shaking.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Robin brought her over to the backroom, making her sit down. “You’re okay now.”

“There was a monster Robin. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.” Lucy’s fear ebbed off onto Robin. “I know that I sound crazy, but I don’t think it’s a creature that exists.”

“You might not be crazy,” Robin said slowly, remember everything Steve had told her.

“What!”

“It’s a long story. I want you to show me where you saw it.”

“NO!” Lucy shook her head, her curls bobbing.

“We’ll bring weapons.” Robin grabbed the bat Steve had bought to the store, in case of emergencies.

“I can’t go back out there.” Lucy shook her head.

“This is serious Luc, those things are dangerous. We have to stop them.”

“What are they?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll tell you everything on the way, come on.” Robin pulled her up.

They walked out of the store, and Robin quickly ran into the hardware store beside them, right as the guy was closing up for the night.

“I just need one thing, please.” She begged the man. “I just need a flashlight. It’s just that I’m walking home, and it’s so dark out.”

“Fine.” The man groaned, letting them in.

“Thank you.” Robin grabbed a flashlight and paid for it. The man glared at the bat in her hands but didn’t say anything.

“Here, hold this.” Robin gave Lucy the flashlight as they headed out of the shop.

“Maybe we should call Steve,” Lucy said, freezing in the middle of the street.

“Steve’s helping the others.”

“The others?”

Robin sighed. “It’s a long story, and I don’t even know the half of it.” She reached out her hand comfortingly, resting it on Lucy’s arm. “Come on, which way?”

“The path in the north woods. It leads to my neighbourhood. I like to take jogs before bed.”

Robin nodded, and together, they started walking. “It all started with this girl, El is her name. She has superpowers.”

“Superpowers?”

“Yeah, I know. _I’m crazy, right_. Well, I thought it was too. Till I saw it for myself. She’s like this total badass, and she’s like only thirteen. Anyways, I guess she was a scientific experiment of the Russians. I don’t know. You remember when everyone thought that kid, Will, died?”

“Yeah.” Lucy nodded.

“He and his friends found out about El and this other dimension. And there’s this monster from the other side that’s trying to come to ours.”

“Wait, you mean all those crazy conspiracy theories about how the town is covering up aliens is true?”

“Well, they’re not aliens, not exactly. But yeah. You remember how Starcourt Mall caught on fire last year?”

“Wait, is that tentacle monster from that sketchy photo going around real?”

Robin nodded. “I saw it.”

“What!”

“I was at the mall when it went down.”

“That’s insane.”

“That’s not all. Steve and I, we were kidnapped by Russian scientist and interrogated.”

“You’re not serious?”

“I am.” Robin nodded. “I still get nightmares from it sometimes. Steve, he’s been a part of this all from the beginning, him and the kids. He just wants to protect them, protect us.”

“Wow.” Lucy breathed a heavy breath. “So, what did I see exactly?”

“I don’t know.”

They had reached the start of the trail through the woods. Lucy gipped Robin’s arm tightly, pressing close to her.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

They kept along through the forest, Lucy griping Robin’s arm as they stayed close to each other. Lucy gripped the flashlight, and Robin gripped the bat. Every time they heard even a rustle, they’d swing around in fear at the noise. So far, they hadn’t seen anything though.

“Maybe I was just hallucinating,” Lucy suggested.

“Let’s get a better view.”

There was a hill that was off of the trial, and they slowly began to hike up it. It wasn’t anything too big or steep. When they reached the top, Lucy swung the flashlight down at the wooded area below. The flashlight glinted off of something slick and gooey.

“What is that?” Robin asked.

Lucy swung the light around, and it cast a glow on a group of creatures all clustered together. They were black and slick looking. Lucy and Robin screamed at the sight of the disgusting looking creatures. Lucy jumped into Robin’s arms, and Robin clutched her tightly in fear. She swung the light back in the direction of the creatures, and they hissed at them.

“Oh, god.”

“What are they?” Lucy asked.

“I don’t know, but we have to kill them.”

“How are you going to kill them with a bat?”

Robin hadn’t thought things out that far.

“There’s too many of them. We need like a gun.”

“Where are we going to get a gun? And what if they hurt someone while we’re gone. You saw these things while running down the path. Anyone could happen upon them.”

“My dad has a gun in our house. My house isn’t too far. I can run and get it.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Run fast.” Robin didn’t like the idea of being left alone with those things, but she had to stay. “I’ll stay here and make sure they don’t kill anyone.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve got the bat to protect me. I’ll be fine.”

Lucy nodded and began running back to her house. Robin prayed she’d be fast. She shone the light on the creatures below. Robin couldn’t quite make out the size of them from where she was. She remembered Steve telling her about the dema-dogs, and wondered if these were the same. She began to wish Steve was here with her. They could really use his help.

Thankfully Lucy returned after a few minutes. The creatures hadn’t moved in that time.

“Robin.” Lucy was panting from running. “I got it.” She whispered as she ran up to her.

“Do you know how to use it?” Robin had never even held a gun before.

“I think so, you just point and shoot right.”

“Yeah.” Robin wasn’t sure it was that easy.

Lucy clocked the gun as Robin shone the light on the creatures down below.

“Here it goes.” Lucy fired off the first shot, the noise reverberated through the silent night, startling both the girls and the creatures.

The creatures hissed and growled, stirring to life.

“Shoot, shoot!” Robin yelled out, hitting Lucy’s arm, fearful.

Lucy fired off more shots, as she fired off the shots, the creatures began to run towards them.

“Shoot, shoot!”

Lucy kept firing, some of the shots managing to hit the creatures. The rest of the creatures were running up the hill, fast, teeth bared. Robin dropped the flashlight, grabbing up the bat.

Lucy kept firing off shots as they began to climb closer. The girls started screaming, backing up fast, away from the creatures.

“Kill it, kill it!” Robin screamed.

“I’m trying!” Lucy screamed back. She clocked the gun, but no more shots fired off. “Robin, I’m out.”

“What!”

The last creature was still approaching them. “Run!” Robin yelled, grabbing Lucy’s arm, and they booked it.

Lucy dropped the gun as they ran through the forest in the dark night. Robin’s breath came out hard, her side was already killing her as they ran fast, and she was beginning to wish she had actually tried harder in gym class.

Suddenly Lucy’s hand slid from hers, and she heard Lucy cry out from behind her. Robin swirled her head around to see that Lucy had fallen to the ground. The black slimy creature was racing fast. Robin raised the bat running to meet the creature, screaming at the top of her lungs.

She swung the bat at the creature as it jumped at her, knocking it to the ground. She kept hitting it, blow after blow, screaming in fear and rage. Blood spattered from its body, but she just kept hitting it. She wasn’t going to die today.

She stopped suddenly, catching her breath, the creature lay lifeless on the ground, and Robin wiped her face. She turned towards Lucy, who was still on the ground, staring at the creature in pure shook.

“Lucy, are you okay?” Robin asked, crutching to help her up.

“You saved me.” She said, taking Robin’s hand.

Robin just nodded, and before she knew it, Lucy was pulling her into a passionate kiss. When Lucy pulled away, it left Robin’s head spinning. A girl just kissed her.

“I’m sorry.” Lucy quickly said, looking shocked. Robin couldn’t blame her.

“I should get you home,” Robin said.

Lucy nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.

They didn’t talk as Lucy led the way back to her house.

“That was terrifying,” Lucy said when they reached her house. Robin just nodded, still shaken from everything that just happened.

“You’ll be okay?” Robin asked.

Lucy didn’t respond to the question. “How far is your house?”

“I’m on Murdale.”

“That’s too far for you to walk. It’s late and dark. You could just sleepover.”

Robin nodded. She was tired and scared from everything that just happened. She wasn’t going to say no to Lucy’s offer.

They snuck into Lucy’s room, and Lucy wrapped a blanket around herself. “Do you think there are more out there?” She asked.

Robin didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure. She sat on Lucy’s bed beside her.

“You have blood on you.” Lucy reached out and wiped some blood spatter off of Robin’s arm. “I’ll get you some clean clothes.” She moved to grab some clothes out of her dresser, handing it to Robin.

“Thanks.” Robin took her clothes off awkwardly. She had never been self-conscious or felt weird changing around other girls. But after Lucy kissed her, she felt a little awkward about it.

“We should tell Steve,” Robin said. “About the creatures.” She added as an afterthought.

Lucy just nodded, sitting back down on her bed.

“We can call him in the morning.” Robin continued. Lucy fidgeted awkwardly beside her. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Okay,” Lucy said, putting up no argument.

Lucy’s bedroom floor was carpeted, offering some softness. Despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangement and the fear still running through Robin’s body, she was rather exhausted and managed to fall asleep. She woke up early to the sunlight coming through Lucy’s window. Lucy was already up and moving, having changed into other clothes.

“You should probably go before my parents see you.” She simply said. “You can sneak out my window.

“Right.”

Robin moved to stand up. “Your clothes.”

“Keep them. Yours have blood on them, remember?”

“Right.” She nodded. She was trying to think of a way she could sneak back into her house without her parents noticing and asking too many questions. She really didn’t want to get into trouble with them.

Lucy was opening her window and taking out the screen.

“I’ll call Steve. Stay out of the woods for a while, okay. Just to be safe.”

Lucy nodded, and Robin began to climb out of her window.

“Robin.” Robin stopped halfway. “Promise me you’ll stay safe too.”

Robin nodded and continued climbing out of the window, jumping the small gap to the ground. She had never snuck out of someone’s house before, and it felt rather exhilarating.

-

When Robin called Steve, the only thing he told her was to stay at home, stay safe. Robin was slightly pissed at him. She understood his concern for their safety, but she wanted help, she wanted to know what was going on.

The same day a town-wide evacuation was called. Robin assumed it had something to do with whatever the hell was going on. The city brushed it off as a hurricane, but since when did hurricanes happen in Hawkins anyways?

Robin shoved into the car with her family as they started driving away. She hoped everything would be alright. Robin may have hated Hawkins, but she didn’t want to see the town destroyed either. She hoped Steve was alright.

They were driving down one of the roads out of Hawkins when suddenly lightning ripped across the sky with a loud bang, causing the ground to shake. Her father hit the brakes of the car as the car before they came to a halt.

“What the heck!” Her father screamed, popping his head out the window.

The cars around them honked their horns. Robin’s dad got out of the vehicle, “Rachel, you got to come see this.” He gestured to Robin’s mother to follow him.

Robin got out of the car to see what he was looking at. What she saw before her was the ground, split wide open. Lighting flash in the sky, and a cry sounded behind them. Robin turned around to see fire and smoke rising from the town. “Dad, mom!” She shouted, pointing behind them.

People had begun to get out of their cars, and commotion was happening all around her.

“Come on Robin. Let’s get as far away as we can.” Her mother called out to her.

Robin ran over to her mother, and they stuck side by side as they got caught up in the crowd of people.

“Robin!” She heard her name called out. Robin swivelled her head to see Lucy running over to her.

“Lucy.” Robin ran over and hugged her. She hardly knew her, but it felt like the right thing to do. “Are you okay?”

Lucy nodded. “You?”

“Yeah.”

“I got separated from my family.”

“Robin!” Robin’s mother called out to her.

“Stay with me, we’ll find them,” Robin said, holding her hand tight.

Lucy nodded.

They continued walking when the ground began to shake once again. The earth started crumbling beneath them, splitting apart. Robin grabbed tightly to Lucy as they fell to the ground. Her parents were lost in the dust cloud that formed around them.

“Mom!” Robin screamed out, letting go of Lucy to stand up and look for her parents.

The ground shook, and Robin fell forward as she watched the pavement where Lucy was crutched, give in.

“Lucy!” She screamed, reaching her arm out to her, but it was too late.

Robin jumped down to her, more concerned about Lucy than her own safety.

She tumbled down the sunken hole that had formed with a painful grunt. She groaned as she stood up, finding Lucy lying there, her head bleeding.

“Lucy!” She ran over, falling to the ground and bringing Lucy’s head into her lap. “Luc.” She pushed her hair out of her face, inspecting the cut.

Lucy blinked her eyes open slowly. They were wet with tears. “I don’t want to die here, Robin.”

“You won’t,” Robin told her. “You won’t” She could feel herself crying.

“I’m sorry I kissed you. I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know why I did. It was just that I thought I was going to die, but then you saved me. You were so brave.”

“It’s okay.” Robin laughed despite everything. “I’ve always wanted to kiss a girl before I died.”

“You said we’re not going to die,” Lucy said, sitting up.

“Right.” Robin nodded, trying to put on a brave face. “It was nice, the kiss.”

Lucy smiled weakly. “You know, I kept coming into the video store, hoping you’d be there to cash me out, but it was always Steve. I kept telling myself that I must have been really lucky to have a guy like Steve ask me out, no one’s asked me out before. But I don’t really like him, not like that at least. I don’t know what I’m saying.” Lucy gave out a sigh, and Robin grabbed her hand comfortingly.

“You don’t have to like Steve. You can like whoever you like.”

The ground rumbled again, and Lucy fell into Robin’s arms.

“We’re going to be okay,” Robin spoke, reassuring herself mostly.

-

It felt like hours that they sat in the sunken hole. When the ground stopped shaking, they heard voices up above and called out to them. Some people noticed them down in the hole, and some people went to go get help. After a bit longer, someone came down on a rope and helped them up. Fire trucks and ambulances had arrived, and Lucy and Robin were both whisked away to get looked over.

Robin’s parents came running to her side, and Robin hugged them both tightly, relieved to see them. “You’re alright.” Her parents breathed a sigh of relief. They stayed on the outskirts of town a bit longer before they were given the all-clear.

“I have to call Steve, make sure he’s alright,” Robin told her parents when they got back to her house. Of course, the telephone wasn’t working, and Robin ran out to hopefully go find Steve.

She had run to the police station finding the swarm of everyone there.

“Steve!” She noticed the dingus in the crowd. She ran over and hugged him tightly. “You’re alive.”

“Miss me?” He asked smugly.

Robin punched his arm hard. “Oww.”

“You have to tell me everything, okay.”

Steve nodded. “And don’t worry, I wasn’t involved in much. Hopper got the government involved, and they deployed some actually trained troops.”

Robin was relieved to hear that. “Is everything over then?” She asked.

Steve nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

-

A few days went by, and everything was covered up in one tidy little bow like always. Robin found herself walking down the path through the woods to Lucy’s house. She veered off the trail, finding Lucy’s dad’s gun lying in the woods. She picked it up to bring it back where it belonged. It was strange how everything went back like normal, but yet things had changed. Even those who knew nothing could feel it.

“Robin.”

Robin looked up to see Lucy standing before her. “Luc.” Her voice felt light, distant almost. “I found your dad’s gun.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

Robin handed it to her.

“I ended things with Steve, not that anything was really happening between us. Just thought you might want to know.”

Robin nodded.

“Did you really wish to kiss a woman before you died?” Lucy asked nervously.

Robin could feel her heart beating in her chest. She was scared, not sure what she expected, but she nodded timidly.

“I…” She wasn’t sure she should even say it, if Lucy was someone she could trust. “I want to be with a woman someday.”

“Oh.” Lucy simply said.

“I’m going to go.” Robin quickly turned around, regretting everything.

“Robin, wait!” Lucy ran over to her, her hand landing on Robin’s shoulder. Robin looked back at her eyes, and suddenly, Lucy was kissing her. She pulled away, her breath heavy but a smile on her face. Robin felt like she was floating.

“I think, I think I might like you.”

Robin’s mind spun, trying to catch up, trying to process her words.

“Can I kiss you?’ Robin ended up asking.

Lucy just nodded, and Robin kissed her.

“We’re safe now, right?’ Lucy asked when she pulled away. “It’s over, the monsters, they’re not coming back.”

“Yeah, it’s over,” Robin said, stroking her arm.

“Good, then maybe we can go out to the movies or something.”

“I would like that.” Robin smiled.

“Okay.” Lucy nodded and let go of Robin. “I’ll see you around.” She smiled and began to walk away with a wave.

Robin waved back, a blissful smile on her face. Things were back to normal, and things had also changed for the better.


End file.
